Kurt van Eeden got involved in gangsterism at the age of 13, drawn by the power it offered. Despite losing his right thumb in a fight, he remained with gangs. Facing court cases, he received a 16-year prison sentence but served only four years with a 12-year suspended sentence.
In prison, he became a target because of his gangsterism history. Around eight months into his prison sentence, his daughter’s mother got involved with another man, and that threw him over the edge. It motivated him to start with intense studies about how to harm not only himself but also other people. “I now know exactly how to bring great bodily harm to people,” says Kurt. “I was fully committed to becoming a gangster again. The gangsters recruited me, and I became a leader. I was a big guy in the gangster world, giving me the power I craved.”
“After leaving jail, I reunited with the mother of my child, we got married and had another child. I continued with criminal activities, ended up back in jail, and studied criminology and psychology, but for the wrong reasons. I fathered another child, continued a life of crime, drugs, and homelessness, and finally found a turning point in prison where I turned to prayer and have been praying every day since.
“In 2015, things began to change for me slowly. I stayed with my Uncle Bruce, who is a pastor, and I told him that I was ready to give my life to the Lord Jesus. He took me to the branch of KwaSizabantu Mission in Malmesbury. After I finished the program, I even started to work at the aQuellé factory in Franschhoek.
“Sadly, I ran away from them in February 2019. During the pandemic, I was smoking and using drugs and still involved in prostitution activities. My uncle came to the house where I lived then, telling me he wanted me to change. He booked a ticket to KwaSizabantu in Kranskop. I thought I would only stay for two weeks, but I am still here years later, working at the aQuellé factory.
“It was intimidating for me at first because the people told me they loved me. I thought they lied to me because I thought I was not loveable. After a while, I realised that it was true. They love me unconditionally, despite my past.”
I’ve met Kurt several times and learned much from him during those brief interactions. He is a changed man who contributed to society and is doing his part in improving the world. He told me that stood out is that people can only change their lives for the good if they deliberately decide to do that and then stick to the plan. KwaSizabantu has, over the years, reached out to thousands of people who were addicted to drugs and alcohol. Not all of them changed their lives for the better. But those who sought help themselves, committed to the Mission’s restoration plan, and put in the hard work have become better people and now live fulfilled lives.”
Packets of Viv
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Image credits: All pictures provided by KwaSizabantu
